Folding or knockdown crate.



Non'. "786,813@l PATENTBD APR.1I1,"1905. C. HDSKINS.

FOLDING 0R KNOGKDOWN CRATE.

jAPPLoATIoN FILED MAY 25. 1904.

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UNITEDv STATES Patented April 11, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

oIcEEo HosKINs, or. QIIINGY, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING on KNOCKDWN CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettersrateht N.=7se,s13, dated April 11, 1905. Y `Amiata@ ned may 25, 1904. seria No. 209,688.

T0 all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, CIoEno HosKINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Quincy, in the countyof Adams and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Folding or Knockdown Crates; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings-forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in crates particularly designed for carrying poultry, &c., and has for its object to provide a crate that may be readilyknocked down or foldedfor shipment or storage orV set up for use and when so set up may be locked against accidental collapse, and which will afford better sanitary conditions in shipping and handling poultry. To these ends the invention consistsin certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangementsof parts, all as' will be now described and the particular features of novelty pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawin s illustrating the preferred embodiment of t e invention, Figure `1 is a perspective view of a crate constructed in accordance with the presentinvention set up, Fig. 2 is Yan end view thereof. Fig. 8 isa detail view of one of the' ends, a portion being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the crate opened out'before being folded. Fig. 5 shows the manner of setting up the crate. Fig. -6 is a detail view,

partly in section, showing construction of locking means for use at points intermediate the ends of the crate. Fig. 7 is a view showing the crate folded or knocked down.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

Referring to the drawings, the latter A indicates the bottom of the crate, which may be of any suitable material, preferably Wood, and is rectangular in shape.

The sides of the crate are similar in construction, and each consists of a rectangular frame formed of a single piece of wire B of suitable Weight, secured to the bottom .A by

staples a, forming a hinged or pivotal connection between the sides and bottom, as willl be readily understood. At each of the upper corners of the sideframes B the wire of the frame is bent to form a rentrant angle b, as shown clearly in Fig. 1.

f The side frames B are strengthened and supported by posts or bars b', placed intermediate -the ends of the frame and secured to the top and bottom of the frame by eyes or loops b2 encircling the wire of the frame. Stay-wires 113, secured tothe upper ends of said posts .or bars l; and to clips b4 at the lower corners of the side frames, may be employed asa further strengthening means.

VThe top `ofthe crate is preferably made in two sections, each consisting of a wire frame C, pivotally secured to the side frames by loops or eyes c encircling one side of the reentrant angle portion b of the side frames, as shown clearly in Fig. l. tions is providedwith an opening through which the poultry maybe placed in the crate, the opening being closed by a flap or door c, opening inward and ke t closed by a spring c2, as will be understood Both the top-section frames and the side frames have wirenetting D secured thereon. The ends of the crate each consist of a rectangular framework of wire E or other suitable material pivotally secured to the bottom, as by staples e.

lt is necessary when the crateis set up that One of the top secthe sections be locked, so that the crate may not accidentally collapse, and to accomplish this, locks are employed for locking the end bar or rod c', connected to the lower part of the end frame E, and the ends of the wire or rod of the frame E are secured to the crossarmsf. At the center ofthe head of the T- casting a recess2 is formed to receive the frame C of the-top sections when closed i down, kthis recess being preferably formedby cutting away a portion of the head, the opposite sides of the recess being undercut to form l overhanging portions f 7 7" 7, which extend over the frame C, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Extending out through an opening in the head of the T-casting is a bolt or plunger'fs, this bolt being preferably mounted on the stem f and normally pressed upward by a springfg. When the top sections are closed down, the frames are received within the undercut portions of the cross-arms, and the bolt extending up between the frames will efectually lock the sections in place, as will be readily understood. ln order to retract the bolt to unlock the parts, the bolt is provided in the present instance with a handle or eXtensionf, working in a slotf5 in the stem f, and to avoid the liability of the bolt being accidentally depressed when the crate is set up the slot]15 has a right-angle extensionf, into which the handle may be turned, as will be understood.

To set up the crate, the ends of the crate are inclined slightly inward, as shown in Fig. 5, the sides and top sections brought up, and the frame of the top sections inserted in the recess in the head of the T-casting. The end sections then being brought to vertical position, the bolt will be projected between the frames of the top sections and the sections locked in place.

To knock down the crate, the bolts are retracted, the ends folded down on the bottom, and the sides turned down, as shown in Fig. 7. If desired7 the sections may be held in closed position by means of a hook H, secured to the bottom of the crate and adapted to have the hook end turned over one of the section-frames, as shown in Fig. 7.

In some instances-where, for instance, long crates are used-it may be necessary to provide intermediate locks between the end sections. For this purpose locks such as shown in Fig. 6 may be employed. As shown, this lock is carried by a bar J, secured to the bot tom of the crate, so that it may be folded down on the bottom when desired. At the upper end of the bar J is a tubular socket y', having an undercut recess in its upper end to receive the top frames, in this instance formed by having the ends of the socket divided and formed with hooked ends je. Working between these ends i2 is a spring-pressed plunger or bolt j. In operation the wires of the top-section frames are inserted in the recess, and the plunger projecting between the frames forces them under the hooked ends j?, then locking the frames, as will be readily understood. i

The crate, it will be seen, can be readily set up or knocked down or folded, and it can be opened out flat to enable the crate to be thoroughly cleansed.

Having thus described my invention,what

l claim as new, and desire to secure b y lietters Patent, is*

1. ln a folding crate, the combination with the bottom, of the side and end sections hinged thereto, the top formed in two sections each hinged to a side section, and lock ing means carried by the end sections for antomatically locking all of said hinged sections when set up; substantially as d eseribed.

2. In afolding or knockdown crate, the combination with the bottom and the hinged side and end sections, said end sections having recesses in their upper edges, in which the frames of the top sections are received, and the bolt adapted to be projected into said recess between the frames, whereby the top sections and end sections will be locked together.

3. ln a knockdown or folding crate, the combination with the bottom and the hinged side and end sections, of the castings carried by the end sections and provided with rccesses having oppositely-arranged overhanging edges, the top formed in two sections, the frames of which are adapted to be received beneath the overhanging edges of said recess, and the bolts adapted to be projected between said frames; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a knockdown or folding crate, the

combination with the bottom and the hinged side and end section, of the center stay for the frames of the end section, the T-shaped casting mounted on said stay, and having a cuteaway portion in its head between the side arms formed with oppositely-disposed overhanging edges, beneath which the frames of the top sections are received, and the springpressed bolt working in the stem of the casting and adapted to be projected between the top-section frames, whereby the frames will be held beneath the overhanging edges of the recess and the top and end sections locked together; substantially as described.

5. In a folding or knockdown crate the combination with the bottoni and the hinged side, and top sections, of the T-shaped castings carried by the end sections and having undercut recesses in which are received the top-section frames, the bolt working in thc stem of the casting and adapted to be projected between the tcm-section frames, the handle for retracting the bolt, the stein ol' the casting having a right-angle slot in which said handle may be turned to lock the bolt when projected substantially as described.

6. In a folding or knockdown crate, the combination with the bottom, of the hinged side, end and top sections fornied of wire frames having wire-netting stretched thereon, the casting having an undercut recess carried by the end sections and into which the wire frame of the top sections are re- IOO llO

ceived and thebolt adapted to be projected between the Wire frames of the top sections, for locking the top and end sections together, locks located intermediate the ends for locking the top sections together, and the stay- Wires carried by the side sections; substantially as described.

7. ln a knockdown or folding crate, vthe combination With thebottom, and hinged side, top and end sections, locks carried by the end sections for locking the top and end 4sections together, and a rod or bar hinged to the crate-bottom intermediate the ends and carrying a casting provided With oppositelyarranged hook-shaped projections at the upper end adapted to take over the frames, of the top sections `and a spring-operated bolt adapted to be projected between the top-section frames; substantially as described.

8. In a folding or knockdown crate, the zo combination With the bottom, of the hinged side and end sections, said side sections formed with rentrant angular portions at the upper corners, the top sections pivotallyconnected to said rentrant angular portion of the side z5 sections; substantially as described.

CICERO I-IOSKINS.

Witnesses:

L. E. -EMMoNs, Jr., MARGARET R. KIRBY. 

